Green Bay Press-Gazette business reporter Jeff Bollier, aka Streetwise, wants to hear from you with news on new businesses, openings, closings, expansions and improvements. You can contact him at jbollier@gannett.com. March 14, 2018.
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Green Bay's Redevelopment Authority is seeking proposals for a mixed-use building on the site of the Adams Street parking lot. The request requires plans to eliminate no more than 21 of the lot's 121 parking spaces and leave Packers Heritage Trail Plaza, lower left, untouched.(Photo: Karl Ebert/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin)Buy Photo

GREEN BAY - A plan to seek a developer for a mixed-use building in place of the Adams Street parking lot has downtown shop owners leery about a loss of parking.

Green Bay's Redevelopment Authority on Tuesday agreed to issue a request for proposals for a multistory building with commercial space on the first floor and housing on upper floors on the 1.5-acre site bounded by Washington, Cherry and Adams streets.

Green Bay Economic Development Director Kevin Vonck said several developers have inquired about the parking lot's availability, which prompted the city to open it up for proposals.

The RDA will accept proposals through Aug. 24, and will review submissions in September.

Vonck said a multistory building on the site could create up to $20 million in new property value. For comparison, the Metreau apartment building site at 115 E. Walnut St. has a value of $12.8 million.

"We wanted to see additional development at a time when our market is good," Vonck said. "Some developers have already inquired about it. The time for us to do this is now."

The request for proposals makes it clear the Packers Heritage Trail Plaza would stay in place, but the rest of the site, up to the Baylake City Center sidewalk, could be included in the project.

City officials sought to soften the impact losing 121 parking stalls would have on downtown businesses by requiring proposals to include 100 public parking stalls in addition to the number of spaces the building's tenants would use.

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Green Bay's Redevelopment Authority is seeking proposals for a mixed-use building on the site of the Adams Street parking lot. A second phase would tear down Baylake City Center to create a public space.(Photo: Karl Ebert/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin)

The net-loss of 21 public parking spaces concerns some Washington Street business owners. Several said they've finally stopped hearing complaints from customers about the lot's automated pay system, which was put in place last summer.

Polito's General Manager Ethan Ringel said staff at the pizza shop regularly hear from customers that there's nowhere to park and who struggle with the automated parking payment system. He said the restaurant could survive a net loss of 20 or 21 parking spots, but much more would worry him.

"On weekends, when we do a lot of business, that parking lot is full day and night," he said. "It would affect our business if they got rid of parking but if it was a little less, we'd be okay."

Charlee Wilson, owner of Nectar, worries that a winning proposal would preserve significantly fewer parking spots than the request for proposals requires.

"It terrifies me," Wilson said. "The lot already fills up quickly and not a lot of our customers use the (Cherry Street) parking ramp across the street from it."

Mirkes said he understands the strong demand for parking in the lot given its proximity to the CityDeck, restaurants and shops.

"Nearby businesses depend on that parking, but a development could bring hundreds more customers to those businesses while preserving the majority of parking on the site," Mirkes said.